Top five most visited “GT” Insights & “GT” Travel Experiences of 2021 (& all time)
Most of the past year — two years — has been terribly tough for many; especially travel & tourism people.
I can’t really say much more about it than I said at the corresponding time last year:
Good riddance 2021 … 2022 had better be better … blah blah …
But, as I wrote at the end of 2020, it’s important to remember that there were marriages and births and graduations and victories and awards and other great life events and accomplishments taking place over the past 12 months.
The people involved will look back on 2021 with at least some fondness. For their sake at least, let’s not completely trash the year, just as we didn’t completely write off 2020.
On that note of gratitude, thank you to all the wonderful Partners of “Good Tourism”. Thank you too to all the brilliant “GT” guest authors. And thank YOU for reading!
The five most visited “Good Tourism” Insights published in 2021
Given that the most recently published “GT” Insights are unlikely to make this list, this is more of an indicator of what has been of interest to “GT’s” guest authors and readers in 2021. What is regenerative tourism? How many travellers will your destination welcome in future? And will you care about what visitors think of your dietary habits?
- Is ‘regenerative tourism’ just a rebranding of ‘sustainable tourism’?
May — For those still confused about the difference between sustainable tourism and regenerative tourism, PhD candidate Loretta Bellato offers answers to questions that she is frequently asked. It’s a “Good Tourism” Insight. - Host communities are at the core of tomorrow’s sustainable tourism
January — The post-pandemic future of travel & tourism will be more community-based than it has been, according to sustainable tourism expert Eva Mossberg. In this “Good Tourism” Insight, Ms Mossberg points to the village of Baan Talae Nok in southern Thailand for an example of how and why. - High value, low volume: Is Bhutan’s old normal the world’s new normal?
April — While some places adopt Bhutan’s Gross National Happiness, the Kingdom’s tourism officials would be happy for the world to emulate its ‘high value, low volume’ tourism policy too. Dorji Dhradhul, director-general of the Tourism Council of Bhutan, discusses it in this “Good Tourism” Insight. - Vietnam’s ‘little tiger’ meat trade: Why travel & tourism should help tackle it
February — [Images in this post may cause distress.] From the front line of a fight to end Vietnam’s trade in cats for their meat, veterinarian Katherine Polak of FOUR PAWS International explains why the cat meat trade presents a danger to travel & tourism, and how industry stakeholders can pledge their support. - Towards a new paradigm for regenerative tourism and just futures
June — The COVID-induced travel & tourism depression has caused and exacerbated suffering. In this “GT” Insight, academic Tazim Jamal summarises the opportunities that she sees for ‘healing’, ‘justice’, and ‘equity’ as our industry recovers.
The five most visited “Good Tourism” Insights of all time
More recent “GT” Insight posts have the opportunity to tap a larger “GT” audience and social media presence for initial visitation, however older “GT” Insights enjoy the benefit of search engine magic and inbound links accumulated over time.
- Rural tourism: Delighting tourists, developing communities
2017 — In July 2017, the UNWTO released its report on International Rural Tourism Development — An Asia-Pacific Perspective. Peter Semone was the report’s editor and in this “GT” Insight he let us in on some of what he learned. - What’s Goa-ing on? The past, present and future of tourism in Goa
2019 — Justine Calais of the Responsible Tourism Collective of Goa shares her “GT” Insight into what’s really going on with tourism in India’s Sunshine State. - Regenerative tourism vs sustainable tourism: What’s the difference
2020 — Susanne Becken and David Gillbanks explore some of the similarities and differences between the new buzz phrase “regenerative tourism” and the old buzz term “sustainable tourism”. - Elephant tourism: The harms of received wisdom
2017 — The “received wisdom” about elephant tourism that keeps conscientious travellers away from elephant-based attractions is doing more harm than good, according to John Roberts in this “GT” Insights contribution. - Why tourism degrowth just won’t do after COVID-19
2020 — Among tourism academics and thinkers today — the outspoken ones at least — Jim Butcher is one of the few who would challenge the notion that post-pandemic tourism must — for the sake of the planet — be much diminished from what it was. He does just that in this “Good Tourism” Insight.
The five most visited “GT” Travel Experiences published in 2021
In May 2021, “Good Tourism” leveraged its growing brand to spin off The “GT” Travel Blog to offer “informed inspiration & top tips for travellers from tourism insiders”. Thank you to the pioneering guest authors.
Here are the five most visited “GT” Travel Experiences so far. (The most recent are least likely to make this list, of course … but lists must.)
- In love with a Himalayan homestay by Vandana Vijay
May — Tucked away across the gurgling Beas, away from the chaotic touristy cacophony of Manali, lies the quaint village of Jagatsukh … - Lapping Luang Namtha by Bernie Rosenbloom
May — “Where are you taking me this time?” I asked Somsavath … His itineraries make “off the beaten track” look like Main Street … - Old stories, new memories in Valjevo, Serbia by Ivana Damnjanović
May — “Why didn’t you ever tell me that?” I shrieked. “Well, you never asked,” my grandma replied. I am unsure whether there was an echo of reprimand or remorse … - The luxury of simply feeling good in Siem Reap by Nguyễn Thị Thu Thảo
July — As the gateway to the iconic temples of Angkor, Siem Reap is one of the busiest ‘tourist towns’ in Southeast Asia … - Off-peak Tanzania: Go for wildlife, go again for people by Lindsay Booth
May — When you think of Tanzania, massive elephants, beautiful lions, and migrating herds of zebra and wildebeest usually come to mind …
If it’s ‘holiday season’ where you are and you’re taking some time off, these lists should provide you with some excellent catch-up reading.
Merry Christmas if you celebrate it. Be merry if you don’t. And have a brilliant 2022!
What do you think? Share a short anecdote or comment below. Or write your own “GT” Insight. The “Good Tourism” Blog welcomes diversity of opinion and perspective about travel & tourism because travel & tourism is everyone’s business.
Featured image (top of post): Five! Image by yohoprashant (CC0) via Pixabay.
